One way to study annotated games
It is common knowledge (and a dirty little secret!) in chess circles at every level below titled players that reviewing well-annotated games by Grandmasters in the opening of your choice is one of the best ways to improve your play. All at once you get an opening lesson, instruction on plan development, transition from opening to middlegame, review of vaious tactical elements, execution of attack and defense, and if you are fortunate the game goes long enough, an endgame where you can see both sides struggling to win or hold the position. A certain flow to the game only exists when you take the time to review a well-annotated game by a GM. So, where do we start? First and foremost, you need to define a clear methodology. We do not want to experience 'chess thrashing' - the act of jumping from one subject to another in a unorganized manner - during our study sessions. Our basic steps are: 1) Define the opening we wish to examine via our own personal repertoire 2) Obtain well-a...